Tuesday, December 10, 2013

The "Deep Freeze" of December 2013...

Well this one snuck up on me~!

I though we would get some snow - get some cold and then go back to our normal type of December weather. Boy, was I mistaken~!

Gosh, it's cold...

It got so cold, so fast that my big trough froze solid in a matter of hours when this cold front hit last week. Lucky, I had the small one in here too. At least I could manage beating the ice out of the small one and getting my little mob a fresh drink...

We have been down into the negatives nearly every night since this moved in on us last week. We have been in the negatives for a couple days. It has been 'ARCTIC' cold here. And, of course, I had Christmas lambs due anytime and baby animals love to be born during big, cold, storms. It felt like I went 3 days without any sleep. I would put on all of my layers - run out to the pasture - check my little mob of hair sheep. Then, I would come inside to warm up - get my layers on again, run out, chem my little mob - run in to warm up.

Then, when the second storm rolled in, triplets were born...

I have no idea how baby animals can live being born in such freezing weather...

My 'triplet' lamb was so tiny, so small, so weak - - - At about 2 am, when the weather said it was -17 (ya, NEGATIVE 17,) I put on all of my layers and went out and got her. I couldn't worry any longer. She was just too tiny to struggle on her own. I brought her in the house and bottle fed her some warm milk replacer and a bit of warm sugar water trying to give her a little kick of energy. I made her a warm spot in front of the wood stove. My little dog "Steve" has raised many, many, bummer lambs and he curled up next to her, nudging her, licking her, keeping her wiggling, but about 8:30 am the next morning she passed away. She was just too tiny to make it on her own... *sad*

I have 5 more Ewe's penned, ready to lamb anytime. I know I have more triplets on their way ~ some of my mommy's are HUGE... I hope it warms up some, before their lambs hit the ground so they have at least a fighting chance. I think anything struggles being born in such COLD!

It has been so cold, the snow and ice has built up into my horses hooves and they looked like they were walking on ice balls...Poor things ~ A good friend suggested digging it out with the claw end of a hammer (which is the only thing that worked) and spraying the inside with Pam cooking spray. Remarkably, this seemed to work amazingly well the last few days. At least the horses are now mobile in this freezing cold weather...

Journey goes to work with my daughter. She's lucky enough to work at a day care. But, he doesn't like going to work. He likes to come stay with "Pamma & Poppa"... Yep, we've graduated from being called "Nanna, to Pamma"... So, me & the 'Man-Child' this boy's "Poppa" went and rescued the little guy from having to be at work...

We stopped at Wally World for some essentials and he wanted chicken for lunch. So, he got chicken for lunch...

Some of the chicken was as big as he was~!

He managed to eat like a man though - he was HUNGRY~!

Then, it was back to "Pamma's" to check the sheep and meet the baby lambs...

It was -7 when these pics were taken ~ It's a 'deep freeze' at my house~!

This "Pamma" had on 3 layers, plus a hat, a scarf, and 2 pair of socks~!

Little Journey had so many layers on, he could hardly walk and had to be carried out to see the baby lambs.

He had on a pair of my mittens and we struggled to keep them on. If a glove fell off, he would yell, "Pamma... I's cold~!"

And, he would start this crazy, exaggerated shaking motion until we got the mittens put back on...

Then, he helped "Poppa" feed and water all the 'Hair Kids'...

He said "Good Bye" to all his hairy friends...

And we skedaddled back into the house to warm up~!

We had to use one of 'Pammas' teddy bear hats to keep the little guy bundled up...

He was happy to help "Pamma" & "Poppa" do chores though.

This Grandson of mine LOVES to come to "Pamma's" house~!

We sure hope it warms up before the rest of the "Christmas Lambs" are born...

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About Me

Well, my name is Jen...I've lived through my first "Mid-Life" thing and I'm currently in the process of "Creating Myself" and renovating an old, 1890's farmhouse and somewhat "neglected" acreage (homestead?).I've done alot of things in my life, but I always forgot to do things for me.